Abstract

The mineral content of pulses grown in Saskatchewan, Canada, was examined for magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc, manganese, copper, selenium, and in some cases nickel and calcium. Eight to 18 cultivars of each of field pea (Pisum sativum), common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), chickpea (Cicer arietinum), and lentil (Lens culinaris) were grown at several locations in southern Saskatchewan in 2005 and 2006 in randomized complete block designs with three replicates. Mineral content was examined by atomic absorption spectrometry. The pulses were found to contain significant proportions of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for all the tested minerals except calcium. In many cases a 100 g (dry weight) portion of the crop provided over 50% of the RDA. For selenium, pulses grown in some locations provided 100% of the RDA. The effect of location was highly significant in most instances, while that of year and cultivar were generally less so. Pairwise differences among cultivars were examined by Tukey’s test. Where possible, crops grown side by side were compared.